Concetti Chiave
- The term "tricky" refers to situations requiring special care or skill, or people who use small dishonest ways to achieve their goals.
- Directions can be tricky when they involve multiple steps that aren't immediately obvious, as shown in the example of getting to Sarah's house.
- People described as tricky might be fun and entertaining but often avoid responsibilities, like Denis disappearing before paying a bill.
- When something has a "trick" to it, it means a specific skill or action is needed to accomplish a task, such as opening a difficult lock.
- The saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" highlights the challenge of changing established habits or learning new skills.
Definizione di tricky
Something that is a little difficult or requires special care or skill is tricky. A person is tricky when they often lie but not about very serious things, or know a lot of small, dishonest ways to get what they want from other people.
EX: Sarah's house is nearby, but getting there can be a bit tricky. You have to go up this street here, turn left onto the High Street, then right immediately onto York Road and follow it to the end. Her building is behind the corner shop there.
Esempio di Denis
EX: Denis is really fun to drink with, he's great at telling jokes and stories, but he can be a bit tricky. He's pretty skilled at disappearing before the bill comes.
If something requires a special skill, or a certain action that is not clear until someone shows you how to do it, it has a trick to it. The special skill or action is the trick. And to express the idea that it's very difficult to change old habits or to learn new skills, we often say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Esempio di Gigi
EX: Gigi's apartment is really nice, but the lock on the old door is difficult to open and close. It definitely has a trick to it—you have to pull it up as you put the key in, or else it gets stuck inside.
EX: I really want to get up early in the morning and go to the gym before work, but I just can't get into the habit. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I'll just keep going at night.
Domande da interrogazione
- Qual è la definizione di "tricky"?
- Come si descrive una persona "tricky"?
- Cosa significa l'espressione "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"?
"Tricky" si riferisce a qualcosa di un po' difficile o che richiede cura o abilità speciali. Una persona "tricky" è quella che spesso mente su cose non molto serie o conosce modi piccoli e disonesti per ottenere ciò che vuole dagli altri.
Una persona "tricky" può essere divertente e abile nel raccontare storie, ma tende a evitare responsabilità, come sparire prima che arrivi il conto, dimostrando abilità nel gestire situazioni a proprio vantaggio.
L'espressione significa che è molto difficile cambiare vecchie abitudini o imparare nuove abilità, come illustrato dall'esempio di chi fatica a cambiare la routine mattutina per andare in palestra.
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